The best restaurants for outdoor dining in Orlando

Four Flamingos is a fantastic celebrity chef-driven restaurant in Orlando owned by chef Richard Blais. The restaurant is known for its fresh Florida cuisine that features incredible seafood, a lot of citrus and tropical flavors, and fantastic cocktails. One dish patrons can't get enough of is the swordfish, which is flavored with black lime, black pepper, and garlic. The fish eats more like a steak than a flaky white fish, which is nice. I also love the tuna tostada, which comes with a passion fruit yolk that you break over the raw tuna for a bright, citrusy bite. Guests who want to enjoy those signature Florida sunsets while dining can do so at the restaurant's screened-in porch overlooking lush green gardens.

High atop the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World is Capa, a one Michelin-star Spanish-inspired rooftop bar and restaurant. The beautiful space has floor-to-ceiling windows that allow guests to see Magic Kingdom from above, or guests can step outside onto the terrace to enjoy drinks and appetizers while the nightly fireworks are going off. The best part about Capa is that you don’t have to be a resort guest to dine here. Anyone in Orlando can munch on ham croquettes and pan con tomate while sipping on the signature Capa gin tonic. For a real culinary treat, I love the almond-stuffed dates that are wrapped in bacon and have a tamarind glaze.

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One of my favorite restaurants in the city is Pig Floyds Urban BBQ in the Mills50 district. The BBQ restaurant is dishing out succulent meats, all with a twist. I love getting the BBQ bento boxes that have a choice of meat (I love pulled pork), rice and beans, salad, and a spring roll. Alternatively, the taco menu is also a big win, with pork belly tacos with a citrus peanut slaw or butter chicken tacos topped with rice and tikka masala sauce. The outdoor patio has quite a few tables, and you’ll definitely find yourself singing along to the eclectic playlist that’s going on while you wait for your food.

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With two locations in Orlando, one in Winter Park and one in Winter Garden, Hunger Street Tacos has taken over the Orlando taco scene with some of the best tacos in town. Both locations offer ample outdoor seating, though the patios fill up quickly on weekends. The restaurant also makes its own tortillas for each of the flavorful tacos. If you want our recommendation, you can’t go wrong with the brisket or carnitas. Don’t forget to grab a hibiscus and pineapple margarita to wash it all down with.

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Nestled on the lake that Disney Springs is built around, The Boathouse Orlando is a fun seafood restaurant that brings in both locals and tourists. Right when you walk in, you’ll see the raw bar filled with oysters that are freshly shucked with every order. Of course, market-fresh fish is also available, and I love the red grouper with corn and sunflower chili butter. And if you’re not into seafood, the filet mignon sliders are a great option. Perfectly cooked pieces of steak are sandwiched between soft buns and topped with compound butter. Add a side of fries, and this is a meal in itself. After dinner, take a tour of the lake in a retro amphicar to get a unique look at Disney Springs.

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With an amazing view of its historic namesake in downtown Orlando, Russell’s on Lake Ivanhoe is a delightful spot for a casual dinner or boozy brunch. Dinner features a unique blend of dishes from frog legs to a more approachable shrimp cocktail for starters, with duck confit and perfectly cooked ribeyes for entrees. Brunch at the restaurant is on Saturday and Sunday only with dishes like New England lobster rolls and omelets with your choice of add-ins. Bottomless mimosas and sangria are also available for brunch.

Downtown Orlando has become a hotspot for dining in the city over the past few years, and nowhere else does authentic Mexican cuisine better than Reyes Mezcaleria. The beautiful restaurant boasts a lovely patio with plenty of tables for those who want to indulge in one of the more than 150 agave spirit selections. For a light lunch, consider the ceviche, which is made with snapper , but you can also add in shrimp and perfectly cooked octopus for an additional cost. Reyes is also known for its vegetarian chile relleno, which is only served at dinner. It’s stuffed full of beans, queso, and corn before being battered and deep-fried. This is one of my favorite bites in the city.

If you’re traveling to Lake Nona, one of Orlando’s newest and fastest-growing neighborhoods, you’ll want to check out Boxi Park. The fully outdoor venue dishes up some of Orlando’s best food, all of which is served out of recycled shipping containers. There are currently eight different spots to grab a bite to eat at Boxi Park, including a burger joint, a taqueria serving authentic Mexican street tacos, and an ice cream spot with delightful soft serve to round out your evening. As you eat, you can enjoy live music or watch a game of pick-up beach volleyball.

Winter Park is home to a bounty of restaurants, but one of the most beautiful is AVA MediterrAegean, which serves Greek-inspired dishes to diners. Outdoor seating at the restaurant is minimal but perfectly situated alongside W New England Ave so it’s away from the high foot traffic of Park Avenue. The menu is filled with incredible culinary delights, like stuffed grape leaves, salt-crusted branzino, and chicken tagine with couscous. Finish your meal with frozen Greek yogurt, which is topped with olive oil and sea salt, for a sweet and slightly savory dessert.

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Disney Springs is home to several restaurants, but none are more exciting than Raglan Road. The Irish restaurant is whipping up traditional food like perfectly cooked fish and chips, bangers and mash, and shepherd’s pie, alongside modern options like scallop and pork belly gnocchi, pork schnitzel, and a short rib burger. The entire menu can be ordered at the outdoor patio space, which doubles as a fun beer garden. Don’t worry about missing the lively entertainment from inside, though, because the traditional Irish dancers and performers also come outside to perform regularly. I love sitting outside to enjoy the entertainment and have a beer, but it’s also great for people-watching since it’s right on a main walkway through Disney Springs.

Another fun restaurant in the Lake Nona area is Canvas Restaurant and Market. The restaurant is known for its seasonal American cuisine that uses regional produce to create stunning dishes. The portobello mushroom and Boursin flatbread is a savory delight to share. Another favorite is the French dip, which comes with horseradish cream to cut through how savory the meat is. And everything can be enjoyed with a beautiful lake-view. Even better, the lakeside lounge has happy hour every Monday through Friday from 3 to 6pm where drinks and some appetizers are on discount.

In the heart of the Mills50 District of Orlando, you’ll find Bites and Bubbles. The American restaurant is adored by locals who love the rooftop seating overlooking downtown Orlando. The menu here changes daily, so you’ll want to check the restaurant’s website before committing to ensure there’s something that sounds good to you. Or just go, you know, because these guys know what they are doing. The menu often features a variety of cheeses, shareable appetizers, and hearty entrees. Our go-to if it’s on the menu for the night is the duck fat burger, which piles swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and house sauce on top of two duck fat-infused beef patties. Talk about decadence!

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The Whole Enchilada is a Winter Garden favorite for its rooftop bar overlooking the main street running through downtown Winter Garden. The fast-casual spot has a menu filled with Tex-Mex foods like enchiladas, burritos, and a take on an iconic crunch wrap. When it’s time for a drink, consider a watermelon or jalapeño margarita to wash everything down. Margaritas start at just $10, ideal for a weekend out with friends when you don’t want to spend a lot of money.

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In the swanky Winter Park neighborhood of Orlando, you’ll find the lakeside Hillstone Restaurant on the edge of Lake Killarney. The restaurant is known for its stunning sunset dinners with dishes like rotisserie chicken with an apricot glaze, pan-fried snapper, and a cheddar cheeseburger with all the traditional toppings. The only drawback to Hillstone is that the restaurant mainly caters to parties of two, so finding a reservation for three or four can prove challenging.